Lorenzo Lamonica / UnsplashPersonalized picks based on your interests and what's nearby.
Hiroshima carries a weight that few other cities do, and the Peace Memorial Park at its centre, built around the skeletal ruin of the Atomic Bomb Dome, makes that history impossible to ignore and genuinely moving to visit. But the modern city around it is a normal, easygoing regional capital with wide tree-lined…
Best time to visit
Walk the length of Hondori, Hiroshima's long covered shopping arcade, for an easy rainy-day option packed with local shops and casual restaurants away from the main sights.
The sights and experiences worth your time — with honest prices.
A landscaped park built on the site of the 1945 atomic bombing's hypocentre area, centred on the Cenotaph and its eternal flame with a direct sightline to the Atomic Bomb Dome. Free to walk at any time, and a place best visited slowly and quietly.
A sobering museum documenting the 1945 bombing and its aftermath through personal artefacts, photographs and survivor testimony. The modest entrance fee is unchanged from earlier years, kept deliberately low to encourage wide visitation.
The skeletal ruin of a former exhibition hall, left standing as it was found after the 1945 bombing and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Viewed from the surrounding riverbank paths at no charge; the interior is not open to visitors.
A Shinto shrine built on stilts over the water at Miyajima, famous for its vermilion torii gate that appears to float at high tide. The shrine entrance fee is separate from the island's visitor tax, both collected on arrival.
The must-try local dishes, sweets and fruits — including the exotic ones you won't find back home.
DishWikimedia CommonsA layered savoury pancake built up in stages on the griddle — a thin crepe base, a mound of shredded cabbage, pork or seafood, a portion of fried noodles, and a fried egg, all stacked rather than mixed together as in Osaka's version. Locals consider layering the defining difference and take the rivalry with Osaka's style seriously.
Order it at Okonomimura or Hiroshima Station's okonomiyaki floor to compare several cooks' versions in one visit.
DishWikimedia CommonsHiroshima Prefecture produces roughly half of Japan's farmed oysters, thanks to nutrient-rich waters in the Seto Inland Sea around Miyajima, and they're served grilled, fried, in hot pots or raw depending on the season. Grilled oysters cooked at open-air stalls near the Miyajima ferry terminal are a popular quick bite.
Winter (roughly November to February) is peak season for the best size and flavour.
SweetOcdp / Wikimedia CommonsA small, maple-leaf-shaped sponge cake with a filling, traditionally sweet red bean paste though modern versions include custard, chocolate and matcha. It originated on Miyajima, whose maple-lined Momijidani Park gives the cake its shape and name, and it's sold in shops all along the island's main street.
Some shops sell it freshly grilled and warm rather than pre-packaged, a noticeably better version worth seeking out.
DishWikimedia CommonsGrilled saltwater conger eel served over a bowl of rice, basted in a sweet soy glaze similar to unagi but with a lighter, more delicate flavour and texture. It's particularly associated with Miyajima, where the surrounding waters have long supplied conger eel to specialist restaurants near the ferry terminal.
Miyajimaguchi and Miyajima itself have several long-running anagomeshi restaurants; expect a queue at the most famous ones around lunchtime.
DishNaocchi / Wikimedia CommonsA regional ramen style built on a combined pork-bone and soy-sauce broth, generally lighter than Kyushu's tonkotsu but richer than a plain shoyu bowl, topped with straightforward char siu pork and spring onion. It's less internationally famous than Sapporo's or Hakata's styles but well loved locally, served at small counter shops across the city.
Look for shops near Hiroshima Station and the Nagarekawa nightlife district, both known for good late-night ramen.
Ask travelers and locals — or help others and earn points.
Real restaurants, cafés, sights and things to do across the city — live from the map, with our fair-price and scam intelligence on top.
What locals pay — check a quote before you hand over cash.
Prices like this often drop closer to the date — worth waiting if your plans are flexible.
Prices like this often drop closer to the date — worth waiting if your plans are flexible.
Book direct — often cheaper than platforms, with free cancellation more often than not.
Booked direct? Many suppliers offer free cancellation within 24 hours.
Prices like this often drop closer to the date — worth waiting if your plans are flexible.
Booked direct? Many suppliers offer free cancellation within 24 hours.
Book direct — often cheaper than platforms, with free cancellation more often than not.
Real fares, not tourist prices.
The only practical public transport link from Hiroshima Airport, running to Hiroshima Station and the Bus Center roughly every 20-30 minutes. IC cards such as Suica and ICOCA are accepted.
A door-to-door option from Hiroshima Airport but a genuinely expensive one given the distance, with a night surcharge on top. Best reserved for late arrivals or a group splitting the fare.
A historic tram network, including some vintage cars, covering Peace Memorial Park, Hiroshima Station and the ferry terminal for Miyajima on a flat citywide fare. Pay as you exit at the front of the car.
A short, scenic crossing from Miyajimaguchi to the island, running frequently throughout the day. The best ferries pass close by the floating torii gate at high tide.
Metered and straightforward, useful once the streetcars stop running for the night. Generally the pricier option compared with the tram for daytime trips.
Spring (March to May) brings cherry blossoms to Peace Memorial Park and Hiroshima Castle along with comfortable, mild weather, while autumn (October to November) offers cool, clear days and good visibility for the ferry crossing to Miyajima. Summer (June to August) is hot, humid and prone to typhoons from late August into early October, and winter is cool and dry with occasional cold snaps.
One full day covers Peace Memorial Park and the museum, with a second day for Miyajima island, though an overnight stay on Miyajima itself is worth considering if you have the extra time.
Yes, easily. The shinkansen from Osaka takes around 1.5 hours and from Kyoto around 2 hours, making Hiroshima and Miyajima a realistic, if slightly rushed, day trip from either city.
The Peace Memorial Museum's content is intense and better suited to older children who can process the subject matter; younger children may find Miyajima's deer and ropeway more engaging. Many families visit both, pacing the day around the museum.
Take the Hiroden streetcar or a JR train to Miyajimaguchi, then a short ferry crossing to the island itself. JR Pass holders can use both the JR train and the JR-operated ferry at no extra cost, aside from the island's visitor tax.
No. Tipping isn't customary anywhere in Japan and can cause confusion if offered. Good service is the standard and already reflected in the price.